Saving His Mockingbird
by Ms.Chelle
Summary: They found out that she's still alive and they have to help her before she gets  murdered for real.
1. Phone Call

It's completely AU.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own NCIS because if I own it, Jenny's still alive and she is ass kissing on the hill.

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><p>It was a cold December night. The team was still doing paperwork. Or at least that was what they're supposed to do. Tony was throwing crumpled papers at Tim and Ziva was joking about Tim's Santa Claus sweater.<p>

"Do you think Gibbs will come?" He threw another paper at Tim.

"I don't know, Tony." He threw the paper back which was so unlikely of him.

"Abby asked him"

"I know, Zeevah! Well, he stopped joining us when…" He received a slap at the back of his head.

"Stopped joining what, DiNozzo?" There it was again, his deadly glare.

He gulped. "Nothing, boss."

"Lt. Hart was attacked. She killed her attacker. Gear up." He grabbed his gun and badge and the team followed him.

.

They arrived at the Lieutenant's townhouse. Ducky and Palmer examined the body. They found out that the time of death was around 2100. He had a shot near his heart which killed him. The team checked the house. Gibbs was questioning the Lieutenant.

"Are you working on an operation, Lt.?"

"No, I just came back from Paris. I –" her phone rang. "I have to take this call." She got out of the room. Gibbs looked at Ziva to follow the Lt.

The landline rang but the Lt. was still on her phone. No one picked up the phone. It went to voicemail. Gibbs froze at the sound of the voice.

"Maggie? Are you alright? Call me." It was a quick message. The call ended. He knew that voice. He hadn't heard that voice for two years. He wasn't sure if he heard it right or he was just delusional. But his gut tells him he's right.

His senior field agent got him out of his thoughts. "Uh, Boss? I think you should see this."

He walked into the Lt.'s room and found that his gut was right. On the bedside table, there was a photo of Lt. Margaret Allison Hart and the former Director and former lover Jennifer Shepard.

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><p>AN: Do you think I should continue? This is my first NCIS fanfic. I'm not sure if I got the characters right.


	2. Jeremy Hanlon

Hey thanks for the review guys! Lt. Margaret Allison Hart is the lawyer of Colonel Merton Bell in season seven. I just made her a Lieutenant to be in the case.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS. If I did, Jenny wouldn't die. I don't own Chicago Hope too! I was in my mother's uterus when it first aired.

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><p>He took the photo and examined it if he was seeing it clearly. "Jenny?" It was a college graduation photo. Jenny and Hart were wearing their togas. She was so young and beautiful. She had a beautiful smile. Her long red hair fell on her shoulders. The lines on her forehead weren't there. Her eyes were so –<p>

"Boss?" Tony got him out of his train of thoughts.

"Where's the Lt.?" He was still holding the photo in his hands.

"Downstairs, Boss."

"McGee, trace the call." He left the room without another word. Tony followed him.

"Do you think it's Jenny?" Gibbs stopped and Tony bumped with him. "Shutting up now."

.

"That was my boss, I need to – " Lt. Hart emerged from the kitchen followed by Ziva.

"No, you're coming with us." Gibbs grabbed her arm.

.

The team was in observation room. McGee walked in.

"Boss, the call was untraceable. The call was too short and the number was unidentified.

"Well, get Abby. I want her number and location." He stormed out of the observation room.

.

"I told you. He attacked me. We got into a fight. He pointed the gun at me and then I tried to stop him. I pulled the trigger and the bullet landed in his chest. Even your medical examiner will agree with me." The brunette woman with blue eyes crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I know." He was still glaring at her. He didn't say a word to her since he grabbed her arm.

"Well then, why are you keeping me here?" He can see the fury in her eyes. And this woman doesn't seem to be intimidated by him.

He opened up the folder on the table and showed him the photo of the Director when she was alive.

"Did you know Jenny Shepard?" His voice was hoarse and cold.

"Why would she be involved in this?"

"Answer the question."

"This is not relevant to –"

"Answer the question!" He exclaimed. He slammed his fists on the table. She flinched for a second.

"I will not tell anything about her."

"Stop protecting her!"

"I made a promise, _Mr_. Gibbs. I will not tell anything about Jen. So if you're not going to arrest me, I will go now." She stood up. Gibbs pushed her down her chair. She pissed him off for calling him _Mr. Gibbs_. "This is an abuse _Mr_. Gibbs!" His blood pressure was rising.

"Jenny Shepard died two years ago! Then, we heard her call you! Tell me where she is!"

"I can't! I will not!" She slumped back to her chair.

This woman is too hard to interrogate and his personal connection with Jenny affects the interrogation.

"Is she alive?" he changed his tone but she refused to answer any of his questions anymore.

"Look, all we want is to help her so if you –"

"She doesn't need your help." He knew it was true. Whatever trouble Jenny was in, she will not let anyone help her, knowing that whoever was after her, will come after to those who will help her.

His phone rang. "Tell me you got something Abs."

.

The team met him at the hall. "What are we going to do, boss?"

"Let her go." He walked passed by them.

"But boss," Tony followed him.

"Keep your eyes on her. She might get another call from Jen." He made a bee line towards the elevator.

.

The loud music welcomed him.

"Gibbs!" she hugged him tightly, he almost fell.

"Abs, can't breathe." She pulled herself from him. "What do you got?"

"Well, I must say she's an expert. The call was untraceable and I cannot identify the number. So, I checked Lt. Hart's call history and I found out that she calls this number frequently for the past two weeks."

"Who is it?"

"Jeremy Hanlon. She's – " She saw him taken a back for a second.

"Thanks Abs." He left the Caf-Pow and he was on his way to the door.

"But Gibbs, I'm not finished." She whined.

He stopped and stared at her. "Did you get her address?"

"No."

"Her number?"

"Not exactly, she's a ghost Gibbs. She died eleven years ago."

"I know Abs." He kissed her cheek and walked away.

.

He arrived in the squad room. The team was ready to inform him about their findings. He went to his desk and grabbed his gun and badge.

"Boss, we've got something about Jeremy Hanlon." Tony stood up and walked in front of the plasma screen.

"I know, DiNozzo!" He was on his way to the elevator.

He looked where Gibbs went then looked at Ziva. "Do you think it's kind of a code or something, Ziva?"

"I don't know. Last time I remembered their code was Oshimida."

"Tony," He used his I've-got-something-don't-ignore-me tone.

"What McProbie?"

He flashed the passport picture on the screen. "I think I just found the Director."

.

He rang the doorbell of the familiar townhouse.

She opened the door.

"Now, can you tell me something about Jeremy Hanlon?"

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><p>Merry Christmas to all of you! Thanks for reading.<p>

Does anyone knows Jeremy Hanlon from Chicago Hope? I'm only 17 so I don't know her that much (I'm only a child when it aired) but I watched Gibbs and Jenny's scenes in Chicago Hope.


	3. Jack McNeil

And so I finished it earlier than I expected...

Disclaimer: I still don't own NCIS and I still believe that Jenny is alive and they staged her 'death'. In denial mood...

I don't own Chicago Hope...

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><p><em>He rang the doorbell of the familiar townhouse.<em>

_She opened the door._

"_Now, can you tell me something about Jeremy Hanlon?"_

She was a little bit startled with his question. Nobody knows about Jeremy Hanlon except for her. Or at least, that's what she thought. She didn't know if she should spill it out or keep her mouth shut. But then, her loyalty to Jenny won.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Gibbs." She coldly answered. She quickly closed the door to ignore him.

His reflex was quicker than she thought. His hand stopped the wooden door.

"You know what I'm talking about Lieutenant." His voice was hoarse. His icy blue eyes were shooting daggers at her. His jaw clenched. He gritted his teeth.

"I see that you discovered _that_." She kept a straight face.

He glared at her once again. _The nerve of this woman!_ He thought. He already lost his patience. His voice was sharp. "The man that you shot was a hitman. Did Jenny come here at least once?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. She knew better not to answer him.

"Did you ever think that, that man was sent to kill Jenny instead of you or he was sent to gather information from you?"

Her lips parted. Realization hit her. Her hand fell off the knob. She stepped aside. He walked in and stood in her hallway.

"Now, tell me what you know."

She walked in the living room and sat on the sofa. "I am only allowed to tell everything I know to only one person." She said. Her voice was icy cold. If she will spill it all out, she should tell everything to only one person that Jenny also trusts.

He waited for her reply impatiently. He sat on the other sofa. His legs were parted and his hands rested on his knees. His back was straight.

"Who is it?"

She answered sharply. "Jack Mcneil."

He wiped his face with his hand. He can't believe he was hearing this. Sudden look of annoyance can be seen on his face.

She arched her brows."You know who it is?"

His hand fell on his knee again. "You're looking at him. So talk."

She gave away a soft chuckle. "You expect me to believe that, Mr. Gibbs."

He groaned in annoyance. "Do I really have to spill it out to you?" He is really angry now but he really needed her alive. If he didn't, who knows what he would to do her.

.

A few hours passed. It was already 2145 and Gibbs was not back yet. The three of them were looking at the plasma. Lucky for them, only the three of them were there and most of the agents left so no one will know about the Director. Even Leon Vance was already out, enjoying the Friday night with his family.

They gathered all information that they can get about this Jeremy Hanlon when they found out it was the Director or it looked like the Director if ever they were mistaken.

Ziva started the 'campfire'. She flashed the photo on the screen. "Jeremy Hanlon. Blond hair. 5'5. Thirty-one years old. She died eleven years ago in Paris, France."

"She was a plastic surgeon in Chicago before settling in France. When she settled in France, she married a doctor." He stopped and turned to McGee. "Have you got anything on the husband, McProbie?"

"Uh… yeah… I think you're gonna like it, Tony." He quickly went to his desk and typed a few keys. He grabbed the remote from Tony and pushed a button.

"Oh boy!" He commented with a huge grin on his face. His eyes twinkled. There were small line near his eyes and mouth. "I think we found ex-wife number five."

She silenced him by smacking his arm.

"Ow!" He flinched.

She narrowed his eyes at him.

He gulped. "I was just saying…" He rubbed his aching arm.

McGee continued. "Dr. Jack Mcneil. He was also a doctor in Chicago. They both died in a boat accident but their bodies were never found. "

Tony grabbed the remote and flashed another photo. "Gibbs looks good in scrubs. Oh, and Jenny is smoking hot in that photo. No wonder why Gibbs -"

He received a slap on the back of his head. "Did I tell you to look at the hitman's background, DiNozzo?"

"On it, boss" he replied quickly and returned to his desk.

He slapped Ziva's and McGee's head. "What was that for?" she said.

He ignored her question and went to his desk. The two returned to theirs as well. His eyes were still on his computer screen. "Ziva –"

She was holding the telephone and covered it for a while. "I will check his activities for the past five years." She nodded and argued back on the other line for putting her on hold.

"McGee help Abby-"

"run facial recognition, trace his calls, emails and encrypted files." He quickly cut off Gibbs and typed as fast as he could.

"And Tony check –"

"his bank accounts to see if he received a huge amount of payment. I will also check who made that payment. Got it, boss." He also typed with his two index fingers.

He stood up with a coffee in hand. "Put a bolo on Jeremy Hanlon. And make sure that I won't see any photos of my ex-wives when I come back." His voice faded.

Tony smile broaden. "Did he just confess that Jenny was his –"

"Even my under cover ex-wife, DiNozzo!" they heard Gibbs' shout then heard a loud 'ping' of the elevator.

Tony's eyes widened and stopped what he was doing . "Will you remind me to wait for the elevator first when I comment about Gibbs' life."

Ziva leaned forward on her desk, still holding that phone because she was on hold. Again. Like every other cases. "Of course…" She mocked him. "I will _not_ do that." She grinned.

.

He entered the room. The room was pitch-black except for the last table where he found Ducky talking to one of the bodies.

Ducky stopped lecturing the dead when he heard the door opened. "I had this feeling that you will come here tonight, Jethro." He didn't turn around to know it was him. Jethro walked near the metal table.

"Why didn't you tell me she was alive, Duck?" His voice was low. His friend can recognize the loneliness hiding in that tone. At first, he didn't know what Jethro was talking about. But the silence that followed after Jethro's words hinted him that there was only one woman that his friend will ask about.

Ducky lifted his head to catch his cobalt blue eyes. The deep lines on his face were seen through the poorly lighted room. His friend looked tired. He could see his friend's grief. He put the scalpel down.

"I didn't know she was alive, Jethro" he sincerely said.

Jethro laid his hands on the table and leaned forward. He looked up to turn his gaze on Ducky. "What do you mean you don't know, Duck? You _did_ her autopsy."

"Jethro," he started. It wasn't his lucky day to know the right words that he should use. He sighed. He closed his eyes and remembered the time after Jethro left the autopsy room. "I didn't do her autopsy." He opened his eyes again and looked at him right through those cold crystal blue eyes. "I didn't even have a glimpse of her body, Jethro." He swore that he was telling the truth. He didn't know if his friend will believe him.

Jethro didn't move. He didn't even wince. His eyes never left Ducky's eyes even when his friend closed his eyes. He heard every word that his friend said and based on his extremely good investigative skills, he knew that Ducky was telling the truth.

"Why did't-"

"I was forced not to tell anyone. Especially you." He quickly replied.

"Who?" He didn't need to be articular in asking him that question.

"Leon." He sighed the name. His voice was low but loud enough for Jethro to hear.

Jethro slammed his fist on the table. It was so loud that the dead body on it could wake up. Ducky heard him curse.

"I apologize for-"

"Don't." His voice was hoarse. Both of his hands were still on the table. He looked down. His shoulders slumped and he sighed. He looked up again to meet his friend's gaze. "Then, why did you told me it was her? I almost open up the bag, Duck."

He slightly shifted his weight. "I really thought it was her. After you leave, he came down and insisted to get Jennifer's body." He stopped and tried to recall that moment. "He said it was orders from above. I… I tried to stop him, Jethro. I really did." He assured him. "I wanted to know what really happened to her and her disease."

He tried to reach out to comfort Jethro but he quickly turn to leave.

He left the autopsy room and head towards the elevator. When it opened, he got in and leaned at the back. He wiped his face. He switched the button to stop the lift.

He still couldn't figure out where Jenny is and he was sure that Tony pronounced her dead. But he was also sure that Jenny would NOT tell Tony about a mission like this. This is too deep. She even used their old covers and made herself invisible.

The sound of his phone got him back to Earth. He switched on the lift and answered the phone.

"Yeah, Gibbs"

Then, his eyes widened. His lips parted. He almost lost his balance that he held on to the railing.

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><p>Thank you for the reviews guys! You inspire me to keep on going. *grins*<p>

I hope I got the characters right. Especially Gibbs. He is a tough one to write.


	4. Bloodbath

I apologize that I hadn't updated soon enough. My classes started and it's a busy week plus I a parish work for my Theology class. Anyway, I'll stop whining now.

Disclaimer: I still don't own NCIS. *sigh* Still didn't own Chicago Hope.

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><p><em>The sound of his phone got him back to Earth. He switched on the lift and answered the phone.<em>

"_Yeah, Gibbs"_

_Then, his eyes widened. His lips parted. He almost lost his balance that he held on to the railing. _

.

The noise of his engine faded as he stopped two blocks away from his destination. He jumped out of his car and sprinted towards the old abandoned building. He entered the back door. The darkness blinded him. He walked through the narrow hallways.

Just when he found the stairs, he heard a loud scream. It was _her_ voice. He was sure that it was her voice. He quickly removed his gun from its holster. He took two steps of the stairs and followed the voice. He saw a poorly lit room at the end of the corridor. He slowly moved towards the room so that his footsteps wouldn't be heard.

He was half way near the room when he heard the two gunshots. He dashed towards the room. He banged the door open. With his reflex, he raised his fire arm to the last man standing. He scanned the room in a second.

The room was trashed. There were broken chairs, shattered windows, old newspapers, wrecked tables, ruined wallpapers and flickering fluorescent light. Overall, it was a completely normal abandoned room except for the bloodbath. The room had pools of blood on the floor and spatters of blood on the walls. A man had a bullet between his eyes. The other one had three bullets in his chest and one in his right shoulder. The last one was covered with blood and the left half of his body was slumped on the floor.

It was a normal bloodbath for him; except, he can't find Jenny. His gut tells him she's in here, alive.

In a millisecond, he heard another shot. He felt the warm but aching feeling on his left arm. He tightened his grip of his SIG and shot the man back. Gibbs hit him on his lower abdomen. He saw that the man was severely injured. There was blood covering his left arm and right leg. The gunfight didn't last longer when Gibbs gave the man two taps on his left chest.

After the man dropped to the floor, Gibbs started to feel the pain of the gunshots. He had a bullet on his arm and another one on his right ribs. He was starting to feel a little woozy but he fought it back. He needed to find Jenny. He scanned the area and found a heel near the table at the end of the room. When there's a three inch heel in a gunfight, he's sure Jenny's there and she's near. He swayed his way towards the table and kicked it.

Jenny was on the floor. She had cuts and bruises but she was alive. He saw the slow rise of her chest and the handgun that she was clutching. He lifted the _blond_ hair off her face and saw the contusion on her cheek. It heightened his anger that someone smacked her on the face. But for her sake, he pushed aside the feeling of torturing her attacker and woke her up. They needed to get out of here. There's no way that no one heard the gunshots.

He kneeled next to her. "Jenny…" his voice was getting weaker as the pain and dizziness overruled him. "Jenny…" he tried again. She tilted her head and moaned his name in a barely audible voice. "Jen! Ugh!" he tried to shout but the pain in his ribs stopped him at the first syllable of her name. But, it did the trick.

She heard him calling her. "Jethro?" she wasn't sure if she was dreaming. Then, he shouted out her name again and she heard the pain in his voice. She slightly lifted her eyelids and saw his bleeding ribs. "Jethro."

He was getting woozier. He put his left hand on his right ribs to stop the bleeding. His right hand was falling off her delicate face. He heard her called him. "Jen…" Then, he blacked out.

.

Abby walked in the bullpen an hour after midnight. She brought Bert with her. She stood in between McGee's and Gibbs' desks. They didn't seem to notice her.

The three of them were busy finding Jenny's whereabouts and some information about the past two years of Jeremy Hanlon's existence. They finished digging in the hit man's background but nothing out of the ordinary pop.

They were so occupied with work and it worries Abby even more. "Where's Gibbs?" she asked softly. None of them answered her. "Where's Gibbs?" She repeated and her voice is louder than the first. McGee noticed her.

"Abby, what are –"

"Where." fart

"Is." fart

"Gibbs." longer fart. And she hugged Bert tightly in her arms. She narrowed her eyes at McGee.

"Oh, uh – He went down in autopsy a couple of hours ago." He tried to answer her but he knew that she already knew that by the look on her face.

"Right now, McGee! Where is he right now!" She demanded.

The two other agents turn their attention to her.

"Maybe he went home, Abby."

"Home?" She started to walk back and forth along the aisle of the four desks with her head bowing down. "That cannot be. Gibbs –"

"– doesn't go home with saying goodbye to Abby" Tony finished her sentence for her.

She looked up, clutching Bert. Bert made a farting sound again. She stopped near Gibbs' desk. She began to talk fast as usual. "I have this weird feeling in my stomach and it tells me that something's wrong. Gibbs is missing and –"

McGee cut her off. "We are not yet sure if he –"

"No! Gibbs told me to trust my gut and Gibbs is always right. So right now, I _am_ trusting my gut. Have you finished tracing his phone?" She turned her head to McGee.

"Wha –"

"McGee! Trace his phone, now!" She was starting to get fidgety and bossy. They all went to McGee's desk to locate their boss.

McGee's lips parted. Abby hugged Bert and he made another fart. Ziva's instincts told her to gear up and follow Gibbs. She quickly head towards her desk. Tony, on the other hand, went to Gibbs' desk and opened the drawer. His jaw clenched and slammed the drawer shut.

"His gun's missing. He left his badge." With that statement, they knew that he got into trouble again. They quickly gear up.

"Are you coming, Abs?" He asked while fishing his badge.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Tony." The Goth walked towards the elevator and waited them.

.

They reached Bethesda in a matter of minutes because Ziva was their driver and only Tony complained though he knew it was for the best since they traced Gibbs phone in the hospital. They all knew that Gibbs only goes to the hospital if he's dying or he's in coma. Abby filled in the silence on the way to their destination by voicing out her worries.

Abby quickly got off the car and made a beeline towards the head nurse. She left without waiting them this time. "Where's Gibbs?" her voice was wrapped with panic and anxiousness. "G-I-B-B-S. Gibbs. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Please tell me he's fine. I am so worried! He doesn't go to the hospital ever! Even if he had a lot of bruises and cuts, he said that it will heal in a matter of days! He's a tough man. The only time that he was here, he was in coma. He didn't remember me after he woke up. He –" She spoke up so fast again and the head nurse cut her off.

"We don't have any patient named Gibbs, ma'am." She said in the most pleasing manner.

"Ma'am? Don't call me ma'am. I'm Abby Sciuto, NCIS forensic scientist. Wait, what? We traced his phone. He's here. I know it. My gut tells me he's here. Gibbs told me to trust my gut. Gibbs –"

"but we have an unnamed patient –"

"Unnamed? Gibbs didn't have his badge. Maybe that's Gibbs. He's six feet tall. He has grey hair, marine haircut. He's kind of old but not that old. He has a lot of huge muscles. He –"

"Okay, ma'am, settle down. I think he's the one. He just got out of surgery."

"Got out of surgery! What happened to him? What –" Tony stopped her. He grabbed both of Abby's arms. She didn't realize that she was sprinting back and forth again.

He lifted his brows and widened his eyes a little bit. "Let me handle this, Abby." He stated calmly.

"I'm NCIS Vey Special Agent Tony DiNozzo," he pointed out the other two "McGee and Agent David. I see that you met our forensic scientist, Abby. So, where's Gibbs?"

"Visitors are not allowed –"

"Listen, ma'am, we don't have time for" he motioned his hands from him to her then her to him "_this_ kind of talk. Just tell us where he is so we can move on with our lives." He flashed his million dollar smile.

"Room 324." She answered against her will. Now, she remembered who these people are. She also remembered the bossy redhead in the red dress that almost ruined her reputation with _that_ call.

They all rushed to the said room and only McGee thanked the head nurse.

.

Abby got in first. She rushed towards Gibbs' sleeping body. Tony noticed the nurse with Gibbs' chart.

For the first time, he didn't ask her out or made a move on her but he simply asked about Gibbs condition and why was he here. She told them that the doctors removed the bullet in his arm and ribs and that he will wake up in a few hours but he needs to be checked from time to time.

But before she got out, "and by the way, he's wife told me to give him this." It was a switchblade with an initial on it, "J". It looked like Gibbs' knife except for the engraved letter.

While Tony was 'admiring' the knife, Ziva asked about the wife. She was sure that Gibbs doesn't want to marry again. And that so-called wife might be Jenny. She was somehow clinging to the idea that her friend was still alive.

"She has a blond hair, maybe in her late 30's or early 40's. I don't remember much. She quickly left when I got here."

"She was here a moment ago?" She asked with a hint of care for the subject of the discussion.

"Yeah, just a few minutes ago. I don't know where she went though." Ziva release the nurse to do the rounds. She quickly disappeared after the nurse got out.

.

"What's that?" McGee asked. He was sitting on the arm chair that Abby neglected when he offered it to her. He called Ducky right after they entered the room to tell him which room they were in and that Gibbs is fine.

"A knife, McGee. Can't you see?" he mocked him.

"Where'd you get that?"

"The nurse said he's wife –" then, he realized the error in the sentence. "Where's Ziva?"

"I don't know. She was talking to the nurse a while ago."

"She's finding Jenny." He figured out what she was doing. He wanted to give himself a head slap for missing that vital information.

Their attention was grabbed by the body on the bed. He grunted. The lines on his forehead deepened.

"Gibbs." Abby said softly. She gripped his hand tighter.

.

His head move towards the voice. He was imagining something. He saw his girls, laughing, talking to him. "Shannon." He murmured gently in a low rusty voice.

Then, everything went black. He saw his daughter right in front of him. She was screaming for help. The flow of tears wouldn't stop. He tried to reach out to help her, to hug his little baby but he couldn't move. "Kelly." This time he said her name clearly and with more pain. A tear escaped from his eye but he was still dreaming.

His little Kelly was being taken away. She was calling her daddy but he couldn't help her. Then, there was blood everywhere. The loud cry turned into soft sobs. He started to recognize the owner of the soft sobs. "Jenny…"

The lines on his forehead deepened. He grunted. He used to have nightmares about her death and Europe and he constantly dreamed about her months after her death. But seeing her again and knowing she was hurt was much worse because the scenario earlier was somehow similar to the bloodbath two years ago but the difference is he was there with her, she's alive, she's wounded and he couldn't do anything about it.

.

They all heard the three names that Gibbs said. His head shifted conversely from right to left. He was still dreaming. Abby panicked and sent McGee to call the nurse. She haven't seen Gibbs like this. Tony and Abby tried to wake him up but he won't stop moving.

"Gibbs"

"Boss"

They both tried to pin him down the bed. He fought back. He accidentally injured Abby. The nurses came over with the doctor.

He was fully awake now. The nurses filled in the two agent's position. He was still fighting back as if he wanted to escape and get the hell out of that hospital. His ribs bled again. The doctor gave him an anesthesia.

Before he blacked out, he looked deep into DiNozzo's eyes. "Find... Jen - ny..." He inhaled deeply. "Je... Je - remy... Keith..."

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><p>This is longer than the usual. Is it better to give longer chapters?<p>

By the way, I don't have a beta reader and I'm really sorry for the wrong grammars and spelling.


	5. Keith Wilkes

I'm so sorry for the very late update! I had a preliminary exams this week and it was tough. I hope I will pass all my exams. Anyway, I'm gonna shut up now and let you read the next chapter. Thank you for all your reviews!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own NCIS neither Chicago Hope.

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><p>It was already dawn. Ducky showed up few minutes after Gibbs' outburst. He asked the doctor about Gibbs' condition. The doctor gave Gibbs a strong dose of sedative. He was sleeping in the room. His vitals were normal. The bleeding in his ribs stopped.<p>

Ziva hadn't returned his calls so he told McGee to trace Jenny and Ziva. Tim tried to argue but he knew Tony couldn't do things like that. Abby insisted that she should watch Gibbs but Tony forced her to get some sleep on the couch since Gibbs will not wake up for a few hours.

Tony sat in the armchair near Gibbs' bed. His legs parted, elbows rested on his legs and his head sunk on his hands. He was looking down, completely disoriented. He heard the dawdling creak of the door and the soft footsteps. He glanced up to look at his Scottish friend.

"Anthony, I think you should go home and get some rest. Take Abigail with you and tell Timothy and Ziva to head home as well. You are all knackered. Don't worry; I will take good care of Jethro." He patted the Tony's shoulder.

He slightly nodded. It has been a tough night for all of them. He knew that Gibbs will kick their butts if he woke up and they don't have anything to tell him. He stood up and straightened his suit.

"Thank you, Ducky. Before I forget, do you know anything about Jeremy Hanlon or Keith? Gibbs told me to find them before he dozed off."

"Ah… Jeremy and Keith… I haven't heard those names in years…" He seemed lost in his thoughts.

"Ducky… Jeremy and Keith?" He deliberately reminded him.

"Ah, yes… Actually, it was a back-up cover when they were in Europe. Since the two didn't need it that much, they used it for leisure purposes. It was the good old times." Tony motioned Ducky to sit on the armchair because it seems to be a long story. The good man sat down and thanked the young lad. "But not everything ends well, you see." He glanced up to the sleeping body on the bed. "There was an accident offshore and the two lovebirds were using these covers. Everybody thought they were dead. They've been gone for days. I even reported to the Director that if they will not show up for the next few days… they might already left the world of the living." He shook his head as the memories flashed back.

Tony nod once and told him to continue.

"Luckily, Keith was suspicious about the absence of the two and followed them that day of the accident. It turned out that right before the boat mysteriously blew into pieces, the two jumped off and Keith pulled them out of the water. They were stranded at sea and got back for almost two weeks. It wasn't much of a story if you will compare it to their real cases but they weren't really themselves when they got back." He was lost in his train of thoughts again.

As much as he wanted to know about the black ops in Europe, he needed to find information about Jenny and this Keith. "Ducky," the older man looked up. "You haven't told me who's Keith yet..."

"I thought you knew. Anyhow, he is the Director." He calmly stated.

"Jenny? I thought she's Jeremy."

"No, no, Tony. Keith is Director Vance." Without a reply, Tony rapidly got out of the room and rang McGee.

.

It was already zero-five hundred when they got back to the headquarters. Sleep deprivation was quickly seen on the two agents.

"Are you sure it's Vance?" Tony slapped the back of the probie's head.

"Of course, I'm sure McGeek! Pull out the information." He watched behind McGee. Tim typed a few keys.

"It's not in the system. He doesn't exist. How about we will just call him and tell everything?"

"Do you want to be eaten by Gibbs? We can't tell that to Vance." He told him with annoyance.

"Tell what DiNozzo?"

They both froze for a moment. Tony slightly turn his head to face the Director. "Hey, Director. I thought you're gonna spend the day with the kids." He hastily supplied an exit route.

"I was until I got a call earlier this morning." He coldly corresponded. "Where's Gibbs? I need to speak to him."

McGee hesitated to answer.

"We don't know Director." Tony lied and hid it with his smile.

Vance knew better that Gibbs' St. Bernards will not turn their backs on him. He walked out of the bullpen instead and head towards his office. He was still suspicious about the actions of the two and how they ignored his first question and besides, Tony was not late.

_Meanwhile…_

Ziva was still following the woman that matches the nurse's description. She didn't have the opportunity to see the woman's face since she started following her near the parking lot of the hospital. The blond was still looking down and she was wearing a beret and a long navy blue coat. She followed the blond into an alley. It was pitch-black but she could still hear the footsteps, the clicking of the heels. But when the footsteps stopped, she was yanked on her right. She looked up to see who grabbed her.

"Ziva?" the voice cracked and it send chills to her bones as she heard her name.

"Jenny?" She felt that her friend let go of her arm. She was nearly in tears to see her friend alive. But she blinked the tears away to make it disappear. She enveloped her arms to her friend's body. Jenny was taken aback with the sudden embrace. But it made her smile and encircled her good arm to accept admiration of her friend. Ziva felt Jenny's thin body and before she released her, her hand brushed on Jenny's side and felt the warm and damp liquid.

"You're bleeding…"

"I know.. I can't go to the hospital yet.. Somebody's out to get me.."

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><p>Comments, suggestions, violent reactions?<p> 


	6. Accepting Help

_Sorry for the long wait. I know it's unforgivable and I still don't own NCIS._

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><p>"Jethro," she mumbled his name in her sleep as she recalled what happened in the hospital earlier.<p>

_She saw his sleeping body on the bed. It was a huge relief that he came out of surgery and that she could see that he is now alright. She walked closer to his bed to touch his hand. "Jethro," she softly said. "Please stop searching for me. I –" Suddenly, the nurse came in._

"_Oh, I didn't expect to see someone here." _

"_It's fine. I need to go." She hurriedly rushed towards the door._

"_Are you his wife? We need to get some information about –" Jenny quickly cut her off._

"_I really have to go. Can you give this to him for me?" She handed the nurse the switchblade that Jethro gave her during their op in Europe. _

"_What will I - "_

"_He'll get the message." With that, she disappeared through the door but she heard him yelled her name and asked for her. She walked faster to avoid the nurse to call for her and then she saw the team but she headed for the exit. _

.

"Jenny," she quickly rushed towards her friend and sat on her bed. She shook her friend's shoulders and tried to wake her up from the dream. "Jenny," She saw a few tears that escaped from her friend's eyes.

"Jethro," her voice was louder than before. She felt that someone was waking her up. "Jethro!" She shouted followed by a loud curse of pain. Her hand automatically touched her ribs.

"Jenny, could you please calm down." Ziva tried to get her lean back on the bed.

"No, he's –"

"Alright. The doctors took out the bullets in his arm and ribs. Abby is watching him in the hospital as of now and Ducky is on the way here to check on your wounds. And I think Tony and McGee are tracking us down. Do I have to tell them where we are?"

"No. They shouldn't know that I'm alive." She explained to Ziva as she leaned back on the head board.

"The whole team knows that you're alive." She saw the confusion in Jenny's eyes so she answered her unsaid question. "You called Lt. Hart, yes?"

She cursed. She knew that she shouldn't call Maggie that morning but her gut tells her that it's the right thing to do. "I should've guessed that NCIS was already there. Is Maggie alright?"

"Yes. She –" Jenny stopped her and tried to jump out of the bed. "Wait Jenny, you're wounds –"

She was already standing when Ziva grabbed arm. "No, they almost killed Maggie and he will target you too. I cannot risk your life, Ziva."

"As if they could kill me, Jenny, you know I can kill more than ten armed men with my bare hands." She exaggerated. "I can protect you, Jenny. We can all protect you."

"No, you don't know understand. He's more dangerous than you think. Maggie got lucky that he only sent a gunman but this time the stakes are higher. I should leave now, Ziva."

"Jenny, who is out to get you?"

"His name is Alexei Vladimir. He's a Russian arms dealer. He's very dangerous, Ziva, that's why I should go now." She got up again and her ribs started to bleed.

"Leaving is not the solution." She hissed. They heard the knock on the door. "That would be Ducky." She stood up and grabbed the knob. She heard her name and looked at her friend, "Don't worry. I'll be careful."

.

Jenny was sleeping again due to the meds that Ducky gave her. She didn't have gunshot wound unlike Jethro but she had grazes, cuts and bruises on top of the other wounds that she already had a few weeks ago. Jenny finally agreed that the team can help her but they had to call her Jeremy in public. She said that she cannot go back to NCIS yet. Ziva left her a soup from her mother's recipe, a note that tells her friend that she's on call and a new burn phone for emergencies.

.

In the bullpen, only the team Gibbs was assigned this weekend so they could investigate the _thing_ about Jenny. Ziva told them that Jenny is in her apartment and now, they've been searching about this Alexei Vladimir. The whole team was walking on eggshells because Vance is the only one in the building that they do not trust so when he showed up on the catwalk, they pretended that they were bickering like the usual.

He was standing in the middle of the MCRT area when he finally spoke. "Can you explain why Agent Gibbs is in the hospital?" His eyed his agents and stopped at DiNozzo.

"What? What happened? Is he okay? Abby will be –" he obviously lied and covered up Gibbs.

He raised an eyebrow at the senior field agent then turned to Ziva. "And meanwhile, you have a very special guest in your apartment. Isn't that right, Agent David?"

The three agents had a straight face to see if their Director is bluffing.

"She called and I need to fill you in, call Abby and Ducky. They are already involved now. Meet me in MTAC." He just left after that.


	7. Operation Romulus

Director Leon Vance cleared the MTAC and let the team with the medical examiner and the forensic scientist enter. He ordered McGee and Abby to work on the computers and they quickly obliged.

"I gathered all of you here since you already know about Jenny Shepard's status. Now, I assumed that you've already checked Alexei Vladimir's history and found nothing but his Russian shipping business." He received an affirmative response from the senior field agent and he quickly continued before his agent say something that is related to a movie. He handed each of them a thick folder with large red words stating 'top secret' on it. Abby got excited on her seat since it's her first time to be included with such thing like this.

"Operation Romulus," the Director started again. "It was initiated after Agent Gibbs and Shepard finished their assignment in Paris. Our Intel informed us that Anatoli Zhukov had twin brother, Anton. Anton Zhukov became the prime target in the operation." The picture of Anton Zhukov making a call with an aircraft carrier on the background flashed on the screen.

"He changed his name into Alexei Vladimir after he got the news that his brother is dead. He had been covering his tracks ever since." Alexei Zhukov was ten years older than the previous photo. It seemed that he was in his mid-forties and he chopped off all of his hair. "He is twice dangerous than his brother and we've been tracking him down after the op in Paris and every time we were one step closer to him, we just took two steps back." He gritted his teeth but proceeded with the briefing.

"Shepard's lose end kept her on watching her back. She knew that some point Svetlana Chernitskaya –" he stopped when Abby raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Sciuto?"

"Who's Svetlana Chernitskaya?" Nobody told her that it was Svetlana's body that was discovered in Jenny's townhouse. As far as Abby knows, it was some mean woman that was responsible for Jenny's death.

"Fill her in everything about Jenny's death… _after_ this meeting." Vance ordered Tony to do it and glanced at the other agents to inform them that he'll move on.

"As I was saying, Shepard knew that some point Svetlana will be after her so she's been digging to find out where Svetlana disappeared. She came across Operation Romulus during her years as the Director. As her successor, she warned me and the SecNav that Vladimir and Chernitskaya had been contacting each other," another photo of the two Russians on the screen this time. They were at a Café and four tables apart. The next photo showed Alexei leaving a newspaper on his table then the last photo showed Svetlana taking the sinful newspaper.

"One of Shepard's last missions was this and she came up to the conclusion that one of NCIS former agents was their informant and turned their backs on us. Eli David and I continued the op after SecNav ordered Shepard to disappear under the radar." Vance looked at the M.E.

"She wasn't sick, was she?" When the Director nodded, the doctor looked relieved but pained also because Jennifer had lied to him and forced him not to say anything about her 'illness' to Jethro.

"Then, how did she come out alive? I checked her pulse there's no way that she was alive, Director." Tony voiced out his thoughts.

"She took a fake death pill." He answered but before he could go back to the main topic, Abby piped up and the seriousness of the operation faded for a while.

"Oh! Oh! I know that! It's a potassium cyanide capsule that fakes the death of the user. I thought it was only in that game …" she recalled what game that was.

"Metal Gear." McGee supplied.

"Yeah! Metal Gear! And there's a revival pill that counters the effects of fake death pill. It secretes –" she was cut off by McGee by calling her name. "Okay, fine … but Director," he glared at her but she ignored it. "Last question. Is it true that the CIA developed it during the 60's?"

"Yes," he answered with a toothpick in his mouth.

"Oh! I'm loving this top secret operations!" she bounced on her seat.

"For the sake of Shepard's life, cut it off!" he snapped.

Abby fell silent and slumped her shoulders. McGee tried to soothe her. The others wanted to tell the Director that there's noneed for snapping at her like that but they understood that the Director wants t get this over with.

"Jenny Shepard's life is in a great danger that is why the SecNav told her to pretend that she was sick and provide a proof about it. That is why she came to you, Dr. Mallard." He looked at the older man. "The first plan was to take her to a Witness Protection Program after she faked her death due to her disease but the plan fell apart when the incident in the diner happened."

"Her body in the morgue…." Abby murmured.

"It's Sasha Gordon's. I ordered Ducky not to do the autopsy and tell no one about it. Shepard was recovering for months after her 'death' under the name of Jeremy Hanlon." Jenny's photo flashed but she had a blond hair this time. "She chose that cover even though I strongly disagree with her decision. She told me that if ever anyone of you finds her accidently, Gibbs will know that she's in trouble and not to bother her. But Gibbs being Gibbs, of course he followed his infamous gut and went after her."

"Alexei recently attack her again this week and based on his pattern, he will be gone for the next few weeks or months to cover up his tracks. We have those limited time to find Vladimir and get Shepard out of trouble."

He motioned for them to go but Ziva, who remained silent the entire briefing, stood in front of him and waited for the others to exit.

"What is it Agent David?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"Why are you helping Jenny?" She knew from the past that Jenny and Vance didn't go along well based on Jenny's side of the story especially that time when he took her position during the investigation of La Grenouille. She knew he would be lying if his answer is it is because of his job or its SecNav's orders. She knew for a fact that Leon Vance used to loathe her friend because Morrow appointed her to become the Director instead of him who was few years ahead of her. But now, he was trying his best to save her friend's life and to the point that he snapped at Abby who was merely being the usual energizer Abby.

She saw his face hardened. His eyes were guarded. She was wondering if he would even answer her question.

For a moment, he sighed and said, "She saved my boy's life two years ago."

She was slightly surprised. She did not see that one coming. But of course, even though Jenny hated the guy, she has a soft spot for children under that hard exterior of hers.

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><p><em>I forgot to add my AN when I posted this a while ago. So here it is..._

_ I really can't believe that people are still reading this. Thank you so much especially for your reviews! :D_


	8. Leather, Jeans and a Sniper

This one's a light one and I just brought their banter back. I can't help writing some Jibbs after having Leon be the lead character in the last chapter. Sorry for the late update... busy week and life got in the way.

Disclaimer: I realized that I'm not rich to own a show like NCIS.

* * *

><p>It's been weeks after the briefing and they haven't come up with anything. The dead bodies continued to come so they could only search for Alexei in between or after solving the cases.<p>

Meanwhile, Gibbs had been a huge pain in the backside and one of the nurses already named him as her worst patient _ever_. He was supposed to be released today but the damn nurses and doctors wouldn't allow him because he has no one to pick him up. Though the team had been helpful with him for the past couple of weeks, he really hated them right now for not showing up when they're supposed to show up.

He groaned out loud and wiped his face at his frustration. He tilted his head back to the pillows and stared at the off-white ceiling. He closed his eyes and recalled a memory with Jenny in it. It was the time that she sneaked him out of the hospital in Czech Republic. He can remember her voice when she woke him up and told him that she's getting him out of that hospital because their enemies figured out where they are. And it doesn't help that he thought that he can hear her voice now.

He thought that he was getting crazy for hearing her voice calling him but when he felt the warm breath on his ear and smelled her own personal scent, he waited for her to say something before he opened his eyes.

"Jethro," she purred. "if you don't wake up now, you'll never see me again." She warned and shrieked as he quickly pulled her on his lap.

His eyes shut open when he heard her say that. He quickly pulled her on his lap and heard her shrieked. "I'm awake now, Jen."

She slapped his good shoulder, "Jethro! You're not yet fully healed." She scolded him for his actions but deep inside she missed sitting on his lap and this close proximity between them.

"I am now." He growled, causing her to laugh. He terribly missed her laugh. He studied her face. It doesn't have any marks of assault anymore. He threaded his fingers in her blonde hair and held her close by pulling her on her waist.

"As much as I missed having you this close to me, we have to get going." She smirked and jumped off his bed.

* * *

><p>He was really dismayed at the choice of clothing but he didn't care because it was part of his disguise according to Jen and at least he got to wear his usual plain white shirt. He stepped out of the bathroom and he felt that she was undressing him with her eyes.<p>

She cannot believe that the clothes that Abby gave her suited him. She blushed when she knew that he caught her undressing him with her eyes. It's just… Damn! He looks good in tight plain white shirt with black leather jacket and dark jeans. It showed the muscles on his chest and arms.

"Are you done?" he smirked. It was his turn to travel his eyes on her. She was wearing denim shorts and a white tank top underneath a denim jacket and a pair of red heels.

She moistened her lips and bit her lower lip. She tilted her head. "Nope," She circled her index finger. "Turn around," she ordered.

He gladly obliged and chuckled. The tight fitting of the jeans showed perfectly his backside and he knew that she clearly loved the view since he had been standing there for more than he should be. When he turned around again, she stopped him. "Wait," she gave a one last look from head to toe, "Okay, turn around now."

He did what he was told and walk towards her. His hands fell on her hips as he whispered to her ear. "Enjoyed the view?" his seductive voice made her skin shivered. His gaze travelled down her chest which revealed a lot in his position.

"Uh huh," she smirked and pulled him closer. She whispered in his ear, "and the sniper across the road would enjoyed it too if you stood a bit closer to the left according to Tony."

His brows furrowed at what the hell she was saying. He took a step backwards but she pulled him closer by his hips. Their faces were alarmingly close by now. "Don't move." She ordered and brought her wrist near her lips. "Status, Tony?"

"Clear," as the younger agent's voice was heard from the said device on her wrist, he let her go and stepped away.

"What was that, Jen?" there was a slight pain in his voice underneath the cold and stoic question.

She sighed. She knew she should've told him when she got in but the peacefulness of his face got her off track when she saw him on that hospital bed. Instead of briefing him about the sniper across the road, she teased him and she doesn't like it that she caught the pain underneath his voice. She was sure that he felt betrayed for not knowing the situation.

"Tim located a sniper at that building when he was on his way to pick you up. He called Tony to search the building then Tony informed me about what happened. Ziva was supposed to be here instead of me but I figured that they should expect what they're expecting." She explained with a few intakes of breath and kept her gaze on his crystal cerulean eyes. "I think he wants to kill you first before me," she saw the confusion in his eyes. Though he didn't asked why she provided the reason, "to stop you from protecting me."

His jaw was still clenched; his eyes were still expressing a certain emotion that she couldn't name. She doesn't have anything to say anymore so why was he looking at her like that? "What?" she finally snapped.

"Is that all?" his voice was stoic and void of emotion.

"Yes," she sounded sincere but he knew there's more to this and he needed further information about this situation. She sensed that he wasn't talking about the sniper next door anymore, "That's all for now. You will be read in once were out of here."

"Good," he nodded. "Now, can I get out of these clothes?" he doesn't exactly know what kind of clothing he was wearing.

"Nope," she smirked.

He groaned. "Is this necessary?" he was really annoyed that this was the only items that Jenny brought and his Sig Saur was the only helpful thing that he found in the duffel bag.

"Nope," she let him lead the way and glanced at the southern part of his back once again.


End file.
